Comments on: Vauxhall VXR Insignia may be HSV – First Look

By: Byron

Byron — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:04:06 +0000

One of the best cars ever produced :) I hopes it comes 2 australia as a HSV/Holden. Better than Epica thats 4 sure. And that interior. WOW! Go HOLDEN

By: DesignEng©™

DesignEng©™ — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:51:27 +0000

Guys, HSV will do LPG before diesel.

And bringing the Insignia here as a HSV only doesn’t stack up. The requirement to supply spare parts for 7+ years alone is a problem, let alone all of the other compliance issues. There would simply never be enough numbers sold.

By: Shak

Shak — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:29:28 +0000

Im just waiting for the DITTO engine, but HSV guy Phil Harding says that weight reduction and more powerful engines are top of the agenda. Now that you bring up AWD they did do the Avalanche wagon in the VY cycle, that was an awesome car but didnt sell well. He also says Diesel is coming he just doesnt know when. Lets wait and see.

By: Wheelnut®™

Wheelnut®™ — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:48:40 +0000

Yeah; most performance car companies have a V8 as their hero car – with the exception of Porsche and a handful of others

However; by offering not only a 4cylinder Hatchback like the Astra and a Medium sized AWD Sedan like the Insignia HSV are/will attract a new type of customer

Because not everyone wants a V8 – particularly given that these days a well engineered 4 or 6 cylinder can produce just as much power and be more efficient etc.

Remember when HSV started they only did V8 sedans then they introduced the Maloo Ute and more recently a Wagon.
Different types of cars have different characteristics and appeal to different type of people.. and the more diversity you have in your range the more you increase the chances of a sale.

The next step is for them to introduce a Diesel Powered car as they are becoming more and more popular.

Even if the Insignia doesn’t make it to Australia as an HSV don’t be surprised if they whack a Direct Injection Twin Turbo Optimised [DITTO] V6 engine into a Commodore to create a new budget entry level car instead.

By: Shak

Shak — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:21:51 +0000

Wheelnut you know how HSV/Holden operate they must have a V8 at the top of the heirarchy.

By: Wheelnut®™

Wheelnut®™ — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:45:08 +0000

Shak – even if the Insignia were to take sales away from the Clubbie or Senator its still going to be a sale for HSV isn’t it? and who knows one day they might upgrade to a Clubbie

having said that ust as the Opel sourced VX-R Astra has attracted a number of new customers to HSV; I expect the Insignia would do a similar thing in terms of those who want an AWD sports sedan and not a V8

By: Shak

Shak — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 08:27:24 +0000

If HSV do get their hand son this, Australia will rejoice, and we may finally see more people flock to the Red Lion (even though this really isnt a lion). But then again this might steal sales away from the other HSV products, as more people look to downsize.

By: Ben(read this, bit of an insite on teh new 5ltr V8)

Ben(read this, bit of an insite on teh new 5ltr V8) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:41:33 +0000

Hope ford AUS do something like this with the new focus that they will be building here as of next year ithink it is. Would be nice to see, make more local jobs to, which is always a good thing =] Just no V6, XR6 Turbo baby lol, but doubt itd fit =[

By: Ben(read this, bit of an insite on teh new 5ltr V8)

Ben(read this, bit of an insite on teh new 5ltr V8) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:35:34 +0000

Hope hsv does bring this over, but tart up the engine abit, more boost, maybe stroke it to 3.0ltrs? Seems hsv wanna levlel the playing field a lil bit with fpvs F6? Im not saying it will be a hardcore as the F6, but itl be interesting to see what it goes like. Could this be the new gen torana??

By: Frenchie

Frenchie — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 02:07:24 +0000

Frontman a HSV dealer would sell 10 HSV’s per month (total). If they sold 5 Insignia’s per month they’re be over the moon!

By: Wheelnut®™

Wheelnut®™ — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:42:06 +0000

Thanks Mick; you just re-iterated what I said.. I said that the Buick based engine in the VT commodores wasn’t really suited to enhancement such as supercharging.. it wasn’t really balanced well enough Whereas the new V6 in the Insignia is as its much more refined

Particularly the DITTO version which is expected to be featured in the upcoming Commodore so Holden will finally have something which will be a closer rival to the XR6 not to mention a new car to possibly challenge the F6

Remember the TT-36 Torana Concept had a DITTO V6 Engine which produced close to 300kw

By: Wheelnut®™

Wheelnut®™ — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:25:41 +0000

Frontman is right a friend of mine paid approx $90K for her Ford F-250 Dual Cab Diesel which she had for about 4-5 years and when she upgraded to a Chevy Silverado Dual Cab [which in terms of size; makes the F-250 look like a normal ute] she got $70k for it as a trade in.

Limited Slip – you do realise that the HSV Astra VX-R 3 Door Coupe is built by Opel and not Holden don’t you? I mean it still has the Opel logo on the steering wheel the speedometer and on various parts of the engine

By: Frontman

Frontman — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:10:12 +0000

John, just a little heads up, with the current climate anything you buy from here on in you will lose a substantial amount of money. The ONLY vehicle out there that has anything close to resale is an F250 4×4 7.3l dual cab! Everything else is just pure depreciation so buy with the heart, the head will only do you wrong.

By: john

john — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:56:42 +0000

I forgot. One other car in the mix is definitely the 135i. Looks a bit odd, but what a little rocket. I would be mad too ignore it.

By: john

john — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:52:07 +0000

I have recently decided too upgrade my current car too either a LS3 Senator or the upcoming F6E (when it is built) sometime in the next year. However now I have seen pictures of the VXR in black I am definitely going too hold off and see if this car ever makes it too Oz, so I can compare one too the other cars. It looks fabulous in those pics. I stand too lose alot of money on any purchase of a senator or F6E anyway, so before signing away a stack of money again (I lost alot on my current car), I would like too find out if the VXR is any good in handling and performance as the looks and price are in my ballpark!

By: The Realist

The Realist — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:46:48 +0000

“A car with this ability and equipment would cost between £50,000 and £60,000 in a BMW/Merc/Audi line-up. Save £25k, and concede absolutely nothing.”

Hmm… BMW M3 is sub five seconds. My wife’s 335i with M sport package is £38K in the UK, and that is 0-60mph in 5.3 seconds with DCT. The article states the Insignia is “sub six second”. Sorry, I’d take the 335i Coupe or Sedan.

By: Frontman

Frontman — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:37:34 +0000

(ha ha ha Spam word Toast :-))
Uncle Tom doesn’t have the coin to bring in a stand alone model for HSV, the set up costs for HSV and the Dealerships would far outweigh the returns from the sales numbers of these cars. As a dealership you would be looking at the requirements of special tools and computers for the probable sale of (being generous) 10 cars a month… Not the numbers for a good business case unless they are going to have HUGE margins which would then price them out of the ball park.
Nice car, as long as Vauxhall / Opel has finally learnt how to make them handle they should go quite well but I doubt they will be here.

By: GGG

GGG — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:37:17 +0000

Could be a possible worth upgrade over my Mazda MPS6.

I think they will need to price this around the luxury car limit ($57k) or will be going up against many buyers who value prestige per dollar more than performence per dollar.

By: Alex

Alex — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:41:59 +0000

Just though that people might be interested in this – it’s the conclusion of a review on Autocar.co.uk:

Should I buy one?
Yes. Against other cars of its size, equipment and capability, the Insignia VXR is a spectacular bargain. Entry price for a saloon or hatchback is a paltry £30,995, or £32,320 for an estate.
The car is so well equipped that it is only possible to add three options: 20-inch wheels at £1100, a leather pack at £1300 and on-board navigation for £815.
The lack of a big name is a declining problem: the sheer presence of this go-faster Insignia, together the spreading realisation that VXR cars do what is claimed for them, helps a lot.
The car’s bulk is reduced in the driver’s mind by its poise and controllability. But the true no-brainer is this VXR’s value for money.
A car with this ability and equipment would cost between £50,000 and £60,000 in a BMW/Merc/Audi line-up. Save £25k, and concede absolutely nothing.

By: Mick

Mick — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:29:50 +0000

Wheelnut you not serious are you? The supercharged V6 that was in the Monaro CV6 was the same that was in all the other commodore’s of the time. It was the old 3.8litre Buick ECOTEC engine.
The V6 that is in the Insignia is a version of the relatively new GM HFV6 as featured in many GM cars at the moment. The HFV6 comes in 3 varieties 2.8, 3.2 and 3.6 the latter which we have in the Commodore. All of which are built in Australia.
So with the numbers this VXR has and what Saab and Alfa Romeo have done with the HFV6 I would say it has quite a bit of potential.
Not to mention the version Cadillac have in the US which is DI.